Liberian president ellen johnson sirleaf speech
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Text of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s speech
President Drew Gilpin Faust, members of the Harvard Board of Overseers, members of the Harvard Corporation, faculty, staff and students, fellow alumni, members of the graduating Class of 2011, parents, family and friends, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, friends:
I am honored not only to be the 360th Commencement speaker at my alma mater, but to do so in the year Harvard University celebrates 375 years of preparing minds as the oldest institution of higher learning in America. Thank you for the invitation and congratulations to you, Dr. Faust, the first female president of Harvard! It is a great privilege to share in Harvard’s distinguished and storied history. Harvard has produced presidents, prime ministers, a United Nations secretary-general, leaders in business, government, and the church. But more than anything, Harvard has produced the men and women on whose talent our societies function — the leaders in law, health, busi
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Address by H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
"The Challenges of Development in a Post-Conflict Country"
An Address by Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
President of the Republic of Liberia
Alumni Memorial Union
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
October 23, 2006
President Robert Wild; Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees; Members of the Administration, Faculty, Students, Prelates, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am honored by the opportunity to make a few remarks to you at Marquette University and I thank Mr. David Straz for making this happen.
It has been barely nine months since the full responsibility of rebuilding post-conflict Liberia was passed over to us, following our victory during the democratically held 2005 elections. We accepted the responsibility fully aware of the magnitude of the challenges that our country faces after 15 years of civil war and destruction. The damage and negative consequences have been enormous, deepening the state of po